Many mechanisms include a first component that must be moved to a position near to a second component such that the two components are separated by a precise standoff distance or gap. One example of such a mechanism is a printing system where a print head must be moved within a precise distance of a target to allow the print head to deliver clear and accurate images to the target.
One arrangement that has been used to accurately separate two components by a standoff distance involves the use of a docking pin or other spacer member. In these arrangements, the docking pin is mounted to and extends from the first component and the second component is moved into engagement with the docking pin. When the second component is moved into engagement with the docking pin, further movement between the components is prohibited, and a precise gap distance is established between the first and second component.
In mechanisms with docking pins, some form of positioning adjustment is often required to correct for fabrication and material tolerances or to compensate for wear of the mating surfaces. For example, if two components must be moved to a distance of precisely 1.875 mm apart, a 1 mm cumulative fabrication error in the assembly can create an unacceptable spacing between the two components. Thus, some form of adjustment is generally desirable to correct for fabrication and material tolerances in systems that utilize docking pins.
There are several known arrangements and related methods for correcting fabrication and material tolerances in systems that utilize docking pins. In a first known arrangement, the docking pin includes a threaded body that is partially threaded into the mounting platform. Rotating the pin results in varying height based on the thread pitch. In conjunction with this, shims are sometimes used. The shims may be made from sheet metal of an appropriate thickness. Multiple shims may be used with a threaded pin to set the pin to the desired height. Yet another option for correcting fabrication and material tolerances is to simply substitute an existing docking pin for a new docking pin having a different height.
The conventional solutions for correcting fabrication and material tolerances have several shortcomings. For example, when attempting to correct for the tolerance, it is difficult to determine the extent of the correction. This is true for both line operators in manufacturing as well as service technicians in the field. Furthermore, some methods have the additional disadvantage of loose parts which must be added or removed from the arrangement.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a solution for correcting fabrication and material tolerances in a docking arrangement. It would be particularly useful if such solution could be utilized in a printing system where a print head is moved toward and away from a target. In addition, it is also advantageous if the docking arrangement included feedback indicia so that the correct setting can be easily confirmed by manufacturers as well as service technicians.